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Menomonie News Net
November 12, 2025, Issue 52
Local News Group
November 12, 2025
Welcome to Issue 52 of Menomonie News Net. As always, if you missed previous Issues, you can catch up HERE.
Today marks our final issue of year one — next week on to Vol 2, Issue 1.
We highlight the upcoming holiday season: events, concerts, benefits (even as we have mild temps outside), another installment of the Journal Speaks Back, Layne’s coverage of sports and much more.
If you enjoy MNN continue to tell others and encourage them to subscribe and/or donate online or by mail: check payable to MNN, P.O. Box 63, Menomonie. In memory or in honor options available.
Thank you….
Editorial Team: Layne Pitt, Becky Kneer, Marsha Biggs; MNN Contributors; Advisory Team Volunteers; Tech Support: Tracy Glenz
Website: menomonienewsnet.org Submit News: [email protected]
In this Issue…
Holiday Craft & Vendor Event to Benefit MHS Boys Soccer
Menomonie High School | 1715 5th Street W, Menomonie
Get ready for one of Menomonie’s favorite fall traditions! The 2025 Craft & Vendor Show at Menomonie High School is back and better than ever, featuring an incredible variety of handmade goods, unique gifts, seasonal décor, local art, and more — just in time for holiday shopping. Proceeds benefit MHS Boys Soccer.
FREE Admission
Over 100 local and regional vendors
Concessions available throughout the day
Proceeds benefit MHS Boys Soccer
Come support our talented local makers and help enrich student opportunities in the process.
Plenty of free parking available on-site.
100% volunteer-led event & a fundraiser for MHS Boys Soccer
Source: Facebook page
West CAP Celebrates 60 Years at Nov 14 Event
Proceeds to benefit food pantry network
Facebook post
West CAP (West Central Wisconsin Community Action Program) is celebrating 60 years with an evening at the Mabel Tainter Theater!
Travel back in time with us through the past six decades with live music by The Home-Grown Tomatoes (HGT) Band and decade-themed special guest hosts from the Menomonie Theater Guild, with the evening culminating with a short, but special, performance by New York Times bestselling author, humorist, and singer/songwriter – Michael Perry!
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this lively fundraiser to help celebrate West CAP’s 60th Anniversary and to meet Michael Perry after the show for a book signing!
All proceeds will go to support West CAP’s food pantry network.
The HGT Band – HOME GROWN TOMATOES, a true variety band and a local favorite! They are a 5-piece ensemble of former band directors and music teachers who love to entertain and engage with our audience leveraging our talents and experience to create a memorable and fun-filled event.
Michael Perry’s bestselling memoirs include Population: 485; Truck: A Love Story; Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting; Visiting Tom; and Montaigne in Barn Boots. Raised on a small Midwestern dairy farm, Perry put himself through nursing school while working on a ranch in Wyoming, then detoured into writing. He lives with his wife and two daughters in rural Wisconsin, where he still makes an occasional call with the local volunteer fire and rescue service.
Tickets online or Mabel Tainter box office. Cost: $31 (fees included)
Source: Facebook page
UW-Stout Choirs Present Nov 16 Concert
The UW-Stout Symphonic Singers, Chamber Choir and Devil Tones Acappella celebrate the 60th Anniversary of School of Art & Design with a concert of music that focus on the metaphor and power of color, featuring a variety of musical styles from romantic madrigals to empowering spirituals. The choirs are directed by Dr. Jerry Hui, accompanied by Aimee Kringle.
The concert will be held on Sunday, November 16, 2:00 p.m. in the Great Hall of the UW-Stout Memorial Student Center. Tickets are $5, available online in advance at uwstout.universitytickets.com, or at the door 30 minutes prior to the concert. UW-Stout students attend free with current student ID.
Every song on the concert features a color, often as a visual metaphor for emotion — red for love and passion, yellow for youth and change, green for envy, blue for inward calm, purple for resilience, brown for confidence.
Also featured on this program are many vocal soloists and instrumentalists. “It’s an honor to be able to work with so many musicians on campus,” Hui said.
“Even though UW-Stout does not offer a degree program in music, we are fortunate to have students who are passionate about performing, who are still working diligently to hone their skills and are willing to share them with the community.”
Read more about the choir program at UW-Stout on their official webpage, on Facebook
Source: News release
Storytelling is a Bear
By John Wilkerson
Editor’s Note: This is another installment in our series “The Journal Speaks Back” where Menomonie resident John Wilkerson invites you to join him in his love for journaling.
Storytelling and the art of showing an idea are the building blocks of a journal. So far, we’ve been carefree with our words and expressive format. Let’s touch a bit on some of the hidden power you can harness as you drop words onto the page.
Way back in the 1900s, when my brother Scott and I were young men, we played hooky from university and camped in the Appalachian Mountains. We’d found a campsite slot at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia; the kind of spot where city folk bring their pop-ups or fifth wheels and consider it camping. Amicalola is a gateway to the southern end of the Appalachian Trail, and we’d planned to set out early the next morning to hike up Springer Mountain.
We’d set camp in the back of my pickup truck. The tailgate was down, and the rear topper door was propped open. A draping of olive-drab mosquito netting hung over the opening in hopes that we could get a breeze during the night.
Not long after dark, we were crammed into the bed of the truck, a space so tight that only one of us could lie on our backs at a time. To turn over required a group effort and the repositioning of gear.
About an hour past sunset, the crash of a steel trash can boomed through the campground. The sound confirmed that the local critters were out feeding on everyone’s rubbish. We both grumbled at the interruption and tried to sleep.
A few minutes later, the crash of another can echoed. This one came from a spot closer to us. As I lay in the dark, I heard the can roll around on the ground for a while before going quiet. The nightly insects once again sang their songs.
After the third time a can slammed to the ground, I no longer considered the occurrence important to my night’s sleep. To sleep in the woods is to share your space with things that go bump in the night. I’d heard the bump and wasn’t concerned. At some point I drifted to sleep.
Minutes or an hour later, I can’t remember, but I do know I was dreaming when it happened. The back end of the truck drooped downward, and I found myself in a sitting position. I looked out through the mosquito netting as the muzzle of a very large black bear rested its front paws on the tailgate and started to climb into the truck with us. I made no sound. I only watched as the bear’s breath stunk up my night’s sleep.
Bears have surprisingly long tongues.
The bear and I locked eyes. It pressed its nose against the netting and proceeded to sniff my feet. I debated whether I should try to yell in hopes of scaring it away.
Later, I know it was only a few seconds, but sometimes I tell the story such that the bear and I were locked in a staring contest for hours. The long-haired beast pulled its tongue back into its toothy mouth and ambled away.
I turned to my brother, who was also sitting up, to see his take on the situation. To my surprise, he sat transfixed, staring down the sights of a diminutive revolver.
“And just what do you plan to do with that?” I said as I lay back down and attempted to tune out the sound of the bear rolling another trash can down a hill.
In telling my story about the bear, I broke from the common narrative we’ve discussed in earlier articles. In writing about the bear and my night camping, I followed time progression as the encounter unfolded. I mixed verb usage so that action felt new or exciting. I also chose specific words to end sentences and paragraphs. This writing structure is more in line with creative writing.
A journal writer will eventually begin to write short stories. This is natural as they shift away from the “I felt” narrative. If you follow a couple of general steps in writing these stories, you’ll find that the words become more meaningful.
Today’s prompt:
Tell a story. Pick something that you lived and see if you can create three paragraphs about how and when it happened. Keep the story simple.
Now, this is the hard part: carefully choose the last word of every sentence.
John Wilkerson works most days writing and fiddling with his computer. His new, old, home in Menomonie is constantly subjected to DIY mayhem. His background includes ghost writing, newspaper reporting, and a stretch in marketing and advertising. John may be contacted at: [email protected]
Community Health Improvement Plan for Dunn County Released
Dunn County – The Dunn County Health Department has released its 2025 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP). This report outlines the goals and strategies that the Health Dunn Right Coalition action teams will take to improve the top health priorities for community members.
What is CHIP?
Every three years, Health Departments are required to conduct a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) to identify the top health priorities. After this assessment, departments create a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) to address those priorities. The most recent CHNA & CHIP can be found at https://dunncountywi.gov/healthdepartment
Action Teams will work to accomplish the following goals in the next 3 years:
Childcare: Improve the accessibility, affordability, and quality of childcare for Dunn County families.
Healthy Environments: Provide Dunn County residents with information and resources to make environmentally conscious decisions.
Access to Mental Health Care: Improve the overall mental health, well-being, and access to mental health care for Dunn County residents.
Housing: Form and advance local partnerships, initiatives, and programs to develop safe, affordable, quality housing options for all Dunn County residents.
For more updates and information, you can follow the Dunn County Health Department on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dunncountyhealth or check out our website: https://dunncountywi.gov/healthdepartment
715-232-2388; Dunn County Health Dept, 3001 US Hwy 12 E, Suite 032 (lower level)
Source: News Release
Chamber Offers Breakfast Event on Local Decision-Making
Eggs & Issues on Nov 19 is open to the public
Join us for a special Eggs & Issues breakfast designed to give the business community a closer look at how local decision-making works. A panel of experts will explain the processes that shape growth, services, and revitalization, and share how you can get involved in guiding Menomonie’s future.
How comprehensive plans guide community and business growth
The documents and processes used by city, county, and regional leaders
Ways to engage through committees, working groups, and public input
The impact of planning decisions on businesses of all sizes and industries
Statewide examples of how planning and partnerships drive success
This session is open to all and provides insights that apply across industries. Whether you own a business, manage a team, or care about the vitality of Menomonie, you’ll leave better equipped to navigate decisions that affect our community and economy.
Date: WED Nov 19
Time: 7:30–9:00 a.m. Location: UW–Stout Memorial Student Center Ballrooms
Fee: $30 Chamber Members | $40 Public (includes breakfast buffet, program, and parking)
For more information contact Menomonie Chamber at 715-235-9087 or email [email protected]
Watch for the next featured MHS graduate by Judy Foust in the November 19 Issue!
Judy Foust is a retired longtime 7th Grade Reading Specialist at Menomonie Middle School. To submit info to her or to request an interview she may be contacted at [email protected]
VETERANS DAY: SSG Daniel Sliter, WI Army Nat’l Guard speaks at the Veterans Day Program, Menomonie Middle School with members of the band and choir in the background. Staff photo.
UW-Stout Offers Unique ROTC Opportunities
UW-Stout Air Force ROTC cadets train with University of St. Thomas, Detachment 410, in St. Paul, MN. Photo: University of St. Thomas
By Abbey Goers, UW-Stout News Center
Menomonie – Cadets in the Army and Air Force ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) develop the leadership, managerial, organizational and effective communication skills needed to succeed. University of Wisconsin-Stout offers both Army and Air Force ROTC opportunities, in which students earn their college degrees while completing classes and training during the academic year.
Army ROTC Northwoods Battalion students learn leadership theory, time management skills, basic soldier skills, map reading and other skills from experienced Army leaders. UW-Stout has a long-standing agreement with the Air Force ROTC program at University of St. Thomas, Detachment 410, in St. Paul – a unique agreement among Wisconsin universities.
This “cross-town” agreement allows UW-Stout students to enroll in Air Force ROTC classes while completing their degrees at UW-Stout. Courses at St. Thomas include aerospace studies, leadership labs, physical training and field training.
Cadets who complete the ROTC program and earn their degrees are commissioned as second lieutenants and begin their careers in the Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserves, Air Force or Space Force. More than 100 lieutenants have been commissioned from the UW-Stout Army ROTC Northwoods Battalion since the program began in 2005. There are currently 65 cadets at St. Thomas, Detachment 410.
UW-Stout also offers a military leadership minor, open to all students, regardless of military or civilian background.
UW-Stout’s Veteran Services can provide advice on veteran and military education benefits and assist with applying for benefits. Veteran Services can be reached by calling (715)232-1659 or emailing [email protected].
Recognized by MilitaryFriendly.com for more than 15 years, UW-Stout was designated a Gold Status Military Friendly® School for 2024-2025 and a 2024-2025 Military Friendly Spouse School. It also was named a 2024 Best for Vets College by Military Times, ranking No. 1 among Wisconsin public universities and in the Top 15 in the Midwest.
To read the full story on our website click HERE.
Source: News release. For information contact Abbey Goers at 715-232-2565
Public Meetings: Week of Nov 12-19
City of Menomonie
Mon Nov 17 City Council, 7pm, Council Chambers
Tues Nov 18 Parking Commission, 9:30am
Wed Nov 19 Urban Forestry Board, 1pm, City Hall
Click HERE for full calendar.
School District of Menomonie
No meetings scheduled. (No School Nov 24-28)
Click HERE for full calendar additional details
Dunn County
Wed Nov 12 Dunn County Board of Supervisors Meeting AND Public Hearing on Proposed 2026 Budget, 7pm, Govt Center, Rm 54
Mon Nov 17 Board of Adjustment, 10:30am
Tues Nov 18 Community Resources & Tourism Committee, 4:30pm
Wed Nov 19 Planning, Resource & Development Committee, 8:30am
Click HERE for calendar, documents, recordings & public commenting
Menomonie Events at a Glance Nov 12-19
Photo: Debra Bell
Wed Nov 12 Philosopher’s Cafe, 7pm, Brewery Nonic;
Fri Nov 14 West CAP Anniversary Event, 7pm, Mabel Tainter;
Sat Nov 15 Indoor Farmer’s Market, 9am-Noon, Raw Deal; Holiday Craft & Vendor Show, 9am-2pm, MHS; UW-Stout Jazz Band, 7pm, UW-Stout Great Hall; Community Conversations - Free Speech, 12:30-2:30pm, Public Library
Sun Nov 16 Menomonie Singers Concert, 2pm, Our Savior’s Lutheran; UW-Stout Choirs Concert, 2pm, UW-Stout Great Hall
Mon Nov 17 Chamber Business After Hours, 5-6:30pm, Mabel Tainter Spirit Room
Wed Nov 19 Chamber Eggs & Issues, 7:30am, UW-Stout
MHS Extracurricular Activities
Compiled from MHS Daily Announcements
Wednesday, Nov 5
We’re excited to share that Lauren McCalla has been nominated for ESPN Milwaukee’s UW Credit Union Student Athlete of the Week! This weekly recognition highlights local student athletes who are making an impact both on and off the field.
Monday, Nov 10
This past weekend the Girls Swim and Dive Team attended sectionals. A big shoutout to our two divers Sofia Reinhart and Ofelia Prechel, who will both be diving at State this Friday in Waukesha due to their flawless, 11-dive performances! Also, congrats to our swim team for finishing out their season strong. Multiple girls set personal records in all of their events, so a special shoutout to Elsa Bowman, Ellie Moulder, Addison McKown, Gwen Brulz, Maddie Horvath, Amelia Hanson, and Grace Edenborg for a personal record meet!
Eight Mustangs Earn All-BRC Football Honors
A Trip to State, Seasons Ending, Seasons Beginning
By Layne Pitt, MNN Contributor
MENOMONIE - With injuries piling up on a seemingly weekly basis, the Menomonie High School football team fought through adversity throughout the 2025 campaign. But the Mustangs still qualified to the WIAA playoffs for the a state-best 36th consecutive year and were only 11 seconds short of advancing to the second round of the playoffs.
The Mustangs landed eight players - one first team pick, three second team picks and four honorable mention selections - on the 2025 All-Big Rivers Conference Football Team.
Senior offensive lineman Bryce Shepard was a first team selection and was a pivotal part in the Mustangs' running attack. The Mustangs gained 2589 yards on the ground, averaging 5.5 yards per carry, and scored 32 touchdowns.
Junior running back DJ Butler was a second team pick and led the Mustangs in rushing with 1081 yards on 147 carries and scored 13 touchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. Butler recorded four 100-plus rushing games and three times (Superior, Eau Claire Memorial, Onalaska) scored three TDs in a single game. Butler had a monster game in the first round of the WIAA playoffs, carrying the ball 30 times for a whopping 285 yards, along with three scores.
Seniors Max Erickson and Luke Pember were second team defensive picks, Erickson at defensive end and Pember at outside linebacker. In conference games statistics only, Erickson finished with 22 total tackles, six solo, with six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Pember finished the BRC season with 52 tackles, 17 solo, five tackles for loss and was credited with 0.5 sacks. Offensively as a running back, Pember finished with
Senior fullback/tight end Luke Bystol, senior offensive lineman Max Branch, senior defensive back Bailey Casey and senior Charlie Mikesell were honorable mention picks. On a team that primarily ran the ball, Bystol finished with four catches for 53 yards. Casey led the team with 54 tackles, 24 solo, and one tackle for loss.
Running back Austin Wittek of New Richmond was the offensive player of the year; defensive back Ben Englund of Hudson the defensive player of the year; and Rice Lake's Dan Hill and River Falls' Ryan Scherz were selected as co-coach of the year.
First Team Offense — OL: Bryce Shepard, Sr.
Second Team Offense — RB: DJ Butler, Jr.
Second Team Defense — DE: Max Erickson, Sr. OLB: Luke Pember, Sr.
Honorable Mention — FB/TE: Luke Bystol, Sr. OL: Max Branch, Sr. DB: Bailey Casey, Sr. Spec: Charlie Mikesell, Sr.
2025 All-BRC Boys Soccer Team
Three Menomonie seniors were named to the 2025 All-BRC Boys Soccer Team. Miles Ogden was a second team selection, while Keebtxuj Xiong and Ryan Xu were honorable mention selections.
Second Team — Miles Ogden, Sr
Honorable Mention — Keebtxuj Xiong, Sr; Ryan Xu, Sr
Sorensen Named to 2025 All-BRC Girls Tennis Team
Senior Isabel Sorensen was a first team selection to the 2025 All-BRC Girls Tennis Team. Sorensen finished second in the first flight at the Big Rivers Conference Championship, then went on to advance to the WIAA Girls State Tennis Individual Championship.
2025 All-BRC Volleyball Team | 2025 All-BRC Girls Swimming and Diving Team | 2025 All-BRC Boys Cross Country Team | 2025 All-BRC Girls Cross Country Team
Two Mustangs Off to State Diving Meet
Two Menomonie High School divers have qualfied to the WIAA Division 2 State Swimming and Diving Championship Friday, Nov. 14 in Waukesha. Senior Sofia Reinhart and sophomore Ofelia Prechel advanced to the state tournament after competing in a WIAA Division 2 Sectional Nov. 8 in Rice Lake. Prechel finished third at the sectional competiton and Reinhart was fourth. The Mustang duo are both making their first trip to the state meet and will be competing with 14 other Division 2 divers. As a team, the Mustangs placed ninth at the sectional meet.
Winter Sports to Begin Soon
The winter sports season is underway for the Menomonie Mustangs, with all varsity teams preparing for busy slates leading up to the WIAA postseason.
Chad Zutter, Menomonie Mustangs livestream coordinator, announced the winter broadcast and livestream schedule for MHS athletics. All home varsity wrestling, boys basketball and girls basketball games will be broadcasted this season with full production, including commentary and sponsor messages. Meanwhile, livestreams featuring automated Hudl camera feeds — without commentary or commercials — will be available for all JV boys and girls basketball games and both JV and varsity hockey contests. All broadcasts and livestreams are scheduled and can be previewed on the Mustangs TV YouTube channel at youtube.com/@MenomonieMustangsTV.
Layne Pitt followed Menomonie High School sports during his more than a decade at the Dunn County News.
Eight Mustangs Earn All-BRC Football Honors by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Menomonie Collegians
Connor Norby Earns Academic Cross Country Award
By Layne Pitt, MNN Contributor
WINONA, Minn - Winona State junior and Menomonie High School graduate Connor Norby earned the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Elite 18 Award for men’s cross country, recognizing the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average competing at the NSIC Cross Country Championships, last month in Wayne, Neb.
The NSIC Elite 18 Award, created during the conference’s 25th anniversary in 2016-17, honors those who excel both academically and athletically at the championship level.
Norby, a computer science and Spanish double major from Menomonie, carries a perfect 4.00 GPA. On the course, he placed 71st at the 2025 NSIC Championships, Oct. 24, with a time of 27:41.91, contributing to Winona State’s sixth-place team finish with 187 points.
The Warriors closed their season at the NCAA Division II Central Regional Nov. 8 in Joplin, Mo, finishing 16th. Norby finished 106th in the race in a time of 33:31.49. After two-kilometers in the 10K race, Norby was 155th, then improved to 119th after 7K and moving up 13 more spots in the final three kilometers.
Norby competed in four races this season, including a 14th place finish and a season-best time of 26:56.7 in the 8-kilometer run at the Griffon Invite, Oct. 4 at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo.
The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) is a 16-team, 18-sport NCAA Division II league featuring institutions across Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The conference emphasizes competitive success while fostering leadership, academic achievement, and community involvement among its student-athletes.
Layne Pitt retired as the longest serving sports information director at UW-Stout and also worked more than a decade at the Dunn County News.
Menomonie Collegians by Layne Pitt is licensed under a CC BY SA 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
For a Calendar of Events in the Menomonie Area, visit Kathy Weber’s Menomonie Minute.
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